64 replies to this topic

[Jon]

i was wondering what the cheapest way to lower a gen3 outback would be.

would legacy springs work and would they make a noticeable difference?

any help is greatly appreciated!

[Sam]

Cheapest way? Cut springs...
It depends how far you want to lower it.
I put pedders lowered springs on my stock struts, lowered it about 2 inches. Cost roughly $100 a corner and I installed them myself.

Wanted to go way lower, so decided to save for some coilovers. Got some from another forum member and replaced my springs and struts with the adjustables.
Wheels now sit at guard height... Muuuuuuuccchhhhh better.
And it's actually fairly smooth for coilovers. And handles a shiteload better.

If I were you, I'd go straight for coilovers.
Just depends how low you want to go.

[Matt]

Coilovers are way overkill for most people! And at $1000+ au dollars they arent cheap.... And for quality ones (tein etc) your looking at $1500 as a minimum....and legality also comes into it

What exactly do intend to do with the car? Track it, daily? And will you keep it for a while?

Ive gone through 4 sets of shocks from billies to 2 different coilovers to get the car to feel how i want, i love my coilovers but i like aggressive driving (they are very harsh though!)...the billies were by far the most comfy...and handled well

If you wont be tracking the car or driving super hard just get some quality lowering springs (as long as your struts still have some life left in them?)

[Evil_VZ-T]

Pull the body lift out of it, and fit some liberty struts and lowered springs.

I sold my old bilsteins with king lows for $400

[Matt]

^^^^this man speaketh the truth^^^^

Hai Lance!!

[Sam]

Depends how low you want to go though.
Replacing springs lowered mine **** all, and wanted to go really low, therefore coilovers were the easiest and most hassle free method to getting the height I wanted.
The body lift is only 1".

[Matt]

Well theres "really low" and practically low? I never said anyway was better/worse just gave my opinion? Feck i run coilovers so im pretty biased, but i aint gonna say just get coilovers, as a lot of people hate them...and as i said legalities come into it (they are not legal without engineering cert)

De-lift with lib shocks/springs would lower it perfectly...majority of people run it like this and if you dont track the car or drive like a loon its a perfect setup

And 1" is a fair bit? Combine that with lowered springs and its a decent drop

He did after all ask what "the cheapest way to lower a gen 3 outback would be" coilovers are awesome, but cheap they aint....unless you can score second hand? But they should be de-lifted if its super low as the suspension arm angles get a bit herpa derp beyond a certain point and handling suffers

[Steveee]

Im looking into doing the same thing with my Gen 3 Obk soon, though I dont want it scraping, just enough to give it a meaner look and a bit better handling.

[Sam]

Yeah Matt I know what your saying.
I guess I am just so happy with the coilovers in my car.
My opinion is to go straight for coilovers. I love mine, and they're actually smoother than you might think on the right damper.

I don't scrape on gutters, or speed humps.

Not 100% sure (and not going for arguments ) but wouldn't you need an engineers certificate if you replaced the factory suspension with legacy ones? I remember being told that when I asked the questions a few months ago.

[platypus]

Technically yes (engineering), as you change the class of vehicle as it comes down. I'm not sure what height it changes at though.

I think you need to change a few steering components if you wish to go liberty low too.

But yes remove the blocks, that shouldn't cost too much, then go from there.

[Morgan]

This came up in conversation yesterday in a round a bout way.

Basically, anything that was not on your car when it left the factory should have an engineers cert. Is that right, Matt?

You would probably get away without one though.

[Matt]

Samuel, i mainly steered Jon away from coilies cause he asked for the cheapest way

And as said i absolutely love my flexes!! and if ya really want them by all means but regardless of how smooth they are, they are soooooo much stiffer than the billies...i feel every crack in the road... I like that but....none of my friends do though lol... But feck them they drive grandpa hyundais and drive painfully slow....they freak out if i hit WOT hahahaha

And yeah maybe in theory...any change i suppose would need one, but.....theyre OEM and its a lot easier to hide the fact you have oem legacy struts than fully adjustable struts? Unless they knew what they were looking for, even then i doubt they would care?
You can tell as soon as the bonnet is popped whether you have coilies or not...every rego check ive had they question them and the last cop who looked said they werent allowed (mainly due to the 1/3 droop factor)...but i have a certificate so they can fark off

[Sam]

Samuel, i mainly steered Jon away from coilies cause he asked for the cheapest way

Yeah fair call.


Plenty of options there for you Jon.

[Matt]

This came up in conversation yesterday in a round a bout way.

Basically, anything that was not on your car when it left the factory should have an engineers cert. Is that right, Matt?

You would probably get away without one though.

Yeah Morgs all the engineers ive spoken too (20+) said that if youre particular car (not the chassis like be5 etc, i mean like an RX, GX etc) didnt have an option to upgrade to a certain component from the factory than you "theoretically" need a certificate, hence why everything thats been changed on my car is on my engineers certificate

No one really cares if its kept sedate though? Its if you go over the pits and they know what theyre looking at you migh be a bit worried?

I wouldnt worry about certificating legacy struts though? The certificate would cost as much as the struts lol

[bobbyjimmy]

Think everyone missed the part where he's from the US.

[Adam]

Haha I was gonna point that out, still a good discussion none the less!

[RX25SE]

i was wondering what the cheapest way to lower a gen3 outback would be.

As mentioned before, above is the cheapest.

Whatever you decide, just don't go stupid low. You need the springs to still work or you risk making a dog of a car that is a pain to drive.

[Josh.]

I bought lowered springs for my car during the week as they were the cheapest way to lower it, then today i pulled out the struts to find that they were ruined. I am now up for almost the cost of coilover's to make my car decent again at a lowered height.
If i was to do it again i would go for coilover's in the first place as they work out almost the same price and without the stuffing around especially if your car has done more than 80 000 km's.

[Matt]

Think everyone missed the part where he's from the US.

Oh hurro hans brix!! hows those bolts going?

And about that....no i saw it? First thing i saw was he was from ohio? Thats why i said the coilies were $1000 "au" dollars

Saying "au dollars" is not something i would normally write lol

Not that being from the US would make much of a difference though would it?

[Matt]

I bought lowered springs for my car during the week as they were the cheapest way to lower it, then today i pulled out the struts to find that they were ruined. I am now up for almost the cost of coilover's to make my car decent again at a lowered height.
If i was to do it again i would go for coilover's in the first place as they work out almost the same price and without the stuffing around especially if your car has done more than 80 000 km's.

Just buy some second hand jdm billies? Most you'll pay is $600, though $4-500 is more realistic